22 Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw. 23 All the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.” 25 And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? 27 If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.”

Today’s reading shows the Pharisees’ growing hostility toward Jesus. We saw in 10:25 a hint that they had started associating Christ with Beelzebul; here the bold charge emerges into the open. The occasion was an exorcism and the crowds wildly approving response, attributing the status of “Son of David” to Jesus (or at least asking the question expecting, though gingerly, a favorable answer). The Pharisees, considering themselves to be the guardians of the Law and Jewish way of life, were incensed with what they saw and finally laid their cards on the table, audaciously declaring their judgment about Christ. There was desperation in their tone, a sort of panic to stem the tide of the crowd’s falling wholesale into thinking Jesus was the Messiah.

So, they declare blatantly that Jesus was in partnership with the devil. An important point for apologetics for us today is that there was no question that even Jesus’ detractors acknowledged that a miracle had taken place. Peter appeals to this in his great Pentecost speech, “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know …” (Acts 2:22). These were not just stories made up by favorable parties. His miracles were undeniable to all at that time.

Jesus retorts that their objections are ludicrous on the simple logic of it. How could He cast out demons by the power of Satan? That would be inherently self-defeating—the logic of which is inescapable. On the contrary, His actions demonstrate that the Kingdom of God has definitely come. There is no other rational explanation!

Lord, thank You for leaving the historical witness of Your wonderful, confirmatory works. They demonstrate Your authenticity as the Messiah.